Piano-hammer.



J. C. MILLER.

PIANO HAMMER.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. so. 1913.

1,104,691 Patented July 21, 1914 WITNESSES lIWEA/TUR ATTORNEYS JOSEPH C. MILLER, 01? LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

PIANO-HAMMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1914.

Application filed October 30, 1913. Serial No. 788,220.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr C. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Piano- Hammers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in piano hammers and it consists in the combination, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device by means of which the striking surface may be readily adjusted or renewed or changed in its contour or texture.

A further object of my invention is to provide a hammer of simple construction in whlch the above named ob ects can be secured.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification in which Figure 1 is a section through the hammer, and Fig. 2 is a plan view.

In carrying out my invention I provide a hammer head 1, which is carried in the usual manner upon the hammer staff 2. The head is slotted as shown at 3 and is provided with upper and lower jaws or clamping members 4 and 5 respectively. These are so fashioned as to present sharpened edges at the points iand 5*. It will be noted that the lower jaw 5 is thicker than the upper for the purpose of forming a better screw hold. The jaws i and 5 are held together by means of screws such as those shown at 6 and 7 the former passing through the slot 3 and the latter passing through the central portion of the felt striking member 8. A reinforcing chin 9 may be provided underneath the lower jaw 5 in order to furnish an additional means for retaining the screw 7.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The tone quality of a piano depends primarily on the behavior of the strings, and this behavior may be controlled within limits by the nature of the attacking force. High or low partial tones may be encouraged or subdued by a modification of the consistency or texture of the striking member. Ordinarily this is done by disintegration such as by picking up the felt, but when this is undertaken by an unskilled workman, the tone is not improved and even in the best of hands the process is destructive. By turning the compression screw 7 the rigidity of the attacking agent, i. 6., of the felt 8, is changed and the proportion of partial tone is altered with a consequent change in tone color.

It will be understood that the felt before being placed in position between the jaws is symmetrical as to its ends, sides and faces. in the illustration given the felt would be elliptical, and since the screw 7 passes through the minor axis it is obvious that the felt may be reversed end for end, or it may be reversed laterally. Thus when one end is worn, the other end may be used, and either face may be turned in either direction, thus providing for an all-around adjustment of the striking member to suit various conditions which arise.

Obviously, the tightening of the screw will result in a more compact striking member, while when the screw is loosened it will be less compact. The use of two screws provides for a greater range of adjustment than when one is used.

It will be noted that the screw 7 not only affords a means of adjustment, but it posi tivel holds the felt in position.

I claim A piano hammer comprising a head having a pair of jaws and being provided with an inwardly extending slot at the junction of the jaws, a striking member having symmetrical halves disposed between the jaws, means for clamping said striking member, said last named means comprising a screw carried by the jaws and arranged to pass through an axis of said symmetrical striking member, and an auxiliary screw arranged to pass through the slot for drawing together the portions on opposite sides of the slot.

JOSEPH G. MILLER.

Witnesses:

A. S. Treenrs, WVALTEP L. ANDERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oi Iatents,

Washington, D. G." 

